1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lawn and garden type spreader and more particularly to a collapsible spreader that is easily adjusted during assembly at the factory so that future calibration and adjustment are eliminated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lawn and garden spreaders are well known, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,616,074; 5,607,079; 5,597,092; 5,570,814; D373,367; and 5,123,598. Each of the collapsible spreaders in the above mentioned patents includes a micrometer for calibration and rate setting purposes so that the spread rate of a product carried by the spreader can be consistently controlled. There is a need for such rate setting because there are a wide variety of products available for spreading on lawns, turf, gardens and the like. The spread rate is typically determined by the producer of the product to be spread and number indications are typically placed on the packaging for the product for each of the popular spreaders. A consumer/operator of a particular spreader responds to a package number by setting the size of the opening at the bottom of the spreader hopper. Setting the size of the opening is typically accomplished with the micrometer. The spreader micrometer has a set of numbers matching those on product packaging, and the micrometer controls the extent of the hopper opening by the number setting on the micrometer.
However, it has been found that collapsible spreaders lose their calibration when the handle of the spreader is folded into a stored or shipping position. Accordingly, when the spreader is removed from storage or from a shipping container and is unfolded into an operative position, calibration of the micrometer must be performed to assure consistent rate settings. The need for re-calibration is caused by tolerance build-up in the handle pivot joint. Upon unfolding the handle, the distance between the top of the handle and the shut-off plate blocking the hopper opening varies enough to upset a consistent application of the rate setting numbers. Currently, collapsible spreaders have typically been calibrated at the factory before shipment and must again be calibrated by the consumer/operator each time the spreader is used if the handle has been collapsed. The calibration at the factory and by the consumer is time consuming, troublesome, expensive and prone to error.